Dialing up the leap from novice to a Facebook group

Saturday

Do you remember when you got your first computer? I will never forget mine. It was about 21 years ago.

My mother gave it to me so I could keep track of all my clients. I was so excited and could not wait to try it out.

I had never worked a computer before. We did not use them when I went to high school.

I turned it on and could not wait to get started. It was going to make my job so much easier.

There I was at my desk so excited and all I could see was a black screen with a few letters and a cursor.

The letters spelled out: "MS DOS_."

No matter what buttons I pushed those letters would not go away and nothing else would come onto the screen. After about 30 minutes I shut it off and decided I would try again the next day.

The next day faded into the next week. Which turned into the next month. It was frustrating. I could not figure out why this expensive machine would not work.

It took me several more years to figure out the computer did not come with any already-downloaded software.

My mother did not know she needed to purchase the all important Holy Grail of a computer: the software.

As I sit here at my desk writing this column on my fancy flat screen, I have to laugh at how far I have come since my "first computer."

Actually it was merely a desk ornament catching dust bunnies.

Several years ago, I started the boxtoplady e-chain. I send out important community information on this chain.

It has grown to over 2,000 members from the Northwest and all parts of the U.S. It seems when families move away from the area, they still want to feel connected by receiving boxtoplady e-mail updates.

Now I have my column in the St. Johns Sun, providing my community updates to an even bigger audience. So the next logical step is to reach a bigger audience with less work involved.

I have become a Facebook user.

I started using Facebook so I could monitor my kids' usage on it. I got hooked.

I am planning my 30-year high school reunion in April and I cannot believe the classmates I have found through Facebook. Not only classmates, but friends I have lost touch with over the years.

It is great reconnecting. I get to see pictures of their families and catch up on all I have missed over the years.

I am excited to announce I have crossed a very big milestone in computerland. And I am doing it before my kids have done it. I think that probably excites me more than anything.

Does that make me a cool mom?

I have created a group on Facebook where I am going to post all of my community updates, Sun columns and important information concerning St. Johns County and the Northwest.

The group is called "Marci Skinner." When you join this group you will get my updates sent to your e-mail or your Facebook wall.

I am hoping to have my entire boxtoplady e-chain join so that way I will not have to spend an hour sending out updates.

Want to join? Go to www.facebook.com and sign up for a free Facebook account. After you have logged in, type "Marci Skinner" in the search window.

It will bring up my group page, then all you have to do is join the group and you will start getting my community updates and links to my St. Johns Sun columns.

You can also interact with other Marci Skinner group members on the group wall. You can do as much or as little as you want to do with Facebook.

Watch out though, you might end up like me and get hooked by the Facebook bug.

If you have a childhood friend you lost touch with, just type their name in the search window and maybe you can get reconnected.

I am looking forward to my Facebook group and continuing to help the residents of Northwest St. Johns County stay connected to their community.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Stay Connected

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Florida Times-Union ~ 1 Riverside Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32202 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service